What it Takes
by renaid
Summary: What would be the catalyst that could push Mulder and Scully to finally see each other as more than partners?  Here's a hint: it's not alien.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **Not mine; only borrowed, played with, and returned in like-new condition. See? I even taped the box again so you can't tell it was ever opened.

**Author's Note:** I wrote this years ago and was abruptly reminded of it this morning. Here I go posting with much glee. That said my writing has changed a lot so it might not be very good.

**CHAPTER 1**

Dana Scully arrived at the office early. She hadn't slept well; the last case still hung heavy in her mind. She knew the feelings of horror would pass; she just had to hold on until then.

She quickly made coffee, a habit so well-rehearsed she didn't know she'd done it until she smelled the strong aroma penetrating her senses, drawing her back from the thoughts which plagued her.

_I wish Mulder would get here soon_, she thought. _I need a distraction, even if it is bizarre theories about aliens invading the federal government_. But thinking of her partner only made her smile for a moment. Scully's thoughts slipped over the last few days with Mulder and she began to puzzle over his recent behavior.

It actually began before the last case, so she knew that wasn't at the heart of his actions. In fact, there wasn't anything in particular Scully could put her finger on, just a feeling of separation and distance, even when they were side by side, working together as usual. It felt like Mulder was pulling away, needing her less. Superficially, Scully believed she was relieved by his distance; he was too protective of her. But deeper down she knew she liked it, needed it, missed it. It was important to know she was valued by someone. It was good to be needed.

_So what is going on?_ she asked herself as she settled at her desk with her coffee. Mulder was just pulling away from her. He didn't call as much in the middle of the night. It had been weeks since he stopped by her apartment, with or without a good excuse. Scully realized she missed him. They had so little time to form outside relationships; she had come to depend on Mulder to be her friend. _Maybe I need to re-evaluate my feelings and stop needing his company_, she thought. _If he doesn't need me, I certainly don't need to need him._

Her resolution was interrupted by the arrival of Fox Mulder. He sauntered in, looking entirely too pleased with himself, thought Scully. Then she looked again. No, it's not pleased; he looks thrilled, like a kid on Christmas morning who can't wait for his parents to get up so he can open his presents.

"Morning, Mulder," was all she offered, not wanting to seem interested in his barely-contained excitement.

"Hey, Scully. Why are you here so early?" responded Mulder. "It's Friday. You should be gearing down for the weekend, not approaching it at full speed." His eyes glittered and he grinned to himself, feeling like he'd almost spilled the beans.

Scully pretended not to notice the smile and just replied, "I was awake so I figured I'd come in and get this report finished. Skinner wants it by ten."

Mulder ran his hand through his hair and groaned. "I thought we finished that yesterday. I have some…things I want to take care of today and I was hoping to leave early. Do you think he's gonna keep us long?" he asked.

Picking the paperwork off the desk, Scully flipped through it and pointed to one page. "This is the only thing that needs resolution before it is done. If you'll walk through it with me to explain some ambiguity, I think we can finish in plenty of time for Skinner and whatever it is you are working on," she said.

"Great!" Mulder replied, flashing a grin. "I don't want to waste any time today."

Scully couldn't help but grin back. The kid at Christmas look was there again - simply irresistible. What was he up to?

It quickly became apparent that he had no intention of sharing his secret so, resignedly, Scully settled at the laptop with the report open beside her. "So, what did you mean when you told the sheriff, "If aliens didn't do this then…"

They worked quickly and smoothly together, to finish the report in plenty of time for their meeting with Skinner. Mulder wore a look of anticipation the whole time and didn't offer one shred of argument when Scully refused to include a statement about crop circles being codes for extra-terrestrial visitors. He just grinned and passed over it, the look on his face saying, _Whatever you want; I'm getting mine tonight, anyway_. Dana began to suspect he had a date.

The day passed relatively uneventfully, the meeting with Skinner being one of the least volatile in a long time. Maybe he was getting tired of yelling at them.

Mulder spent most of the day on his computer, surfing the net and sending long e-mail messages, and then engaging in some rather cryptic, muttered phone calls that she couldn't quite hear. Scully didn't care. Her lack of sleep the previous night was catching up to her. By five o'clock she was ready to go home and crash. The fact that Mulder had left at 3:00 only served to depress her. As she packed her things and left the office she resolved to go home and sleep. Maybe that would help temper the feelings of overwhelming loneliness and self-pity that were threatening to swallow her whole.

By the time she navigated through rush hour traffic and found a parking space, Scully was exhausted. She made it inside the door where she dumped her briefcase, purse, and jacket, then dragged herself to her bedroom while peeling off her suit and pantyhose.

_I'll deal with the wrinkles later_, she told herself as she crawled under the blanket on the bed and promptly fell asleep.

Her clock read 8:30 pm when she drifted back to consciousness.

_Now what do I do?_ she thought as she realized sleep was not going to return any time soon. _How can I get two complete sleep cycles and then be totally awake again? If I have to be alone on a Friday night, I'd prefer to sleep through it_.

With a groan of frustration, Scully rolled out of bed and confronted her suit, which was lying in a crumpled pile on the floor.

_Guess I'll hang it in the bathroom and hope the steam from the shower straightens it out,_ she thought.

The idea of a shower sounded good so she complied, taking her time and soaking in the warmth until she felt comforted and ready to face life again. Well, life within the four walls of her apartment, anyway.

She was pulling on sweats and warm socks when her stomach started rumbling. Scully began to mentally evaluate the content of her kitchen.

"Damn, I need groceries," was the thought that verbalized itself as she searched for something that sounded good. "It looks like popcorn and tea tonight. Mom would yell if she knew this was my dinner!" The thought of her mom reprimanding her for not eating a balanced meal made her smile and lightened her mood as she popped the popcorn, made tea and moved to the living room. "I don't suppose there's anything good on TV on a Friday night."

After flipping through all the channels twice, Scully settled for _Xena: Warrior Princess_. _I know it's corny, but who's here to criticize my choice?_ she thought as she wrapped an afghan around her shoulders and settled the popcorn in her lap. _Besides, I deal with enough reality every day; a little exaggerated mythology can only help my state of mind_.

Thinking of work made her think of Mulder, a topic she had avoided concentrating on until now. _I wonder if he is on a date tonight_, she thought.

Just then, the phone rang. _It's probably Mom,_ Scully thought as she turned off the TV and jumped up to answer it. _I haven't talked to her lately. She probably had a motherly vision of me eating only popcorn for dinner!_

"Hello?"

"Scully, are you home?" Mulder's voice asked when she picked up the line.

"Of course I am. You dialed my home number, didn't you?" Why would he be calling when he was on a date? Let me guess: she turned out to be a werewolf, he got bit, and now he wants me to find an antidote. I don't need this on my night off!

"Scully, are you there? Is everything okay?" His voice came through strong and concerned, snapping her out of her mental chaos and reminding her why she was holding the phone.

"Of course I'm okay. Why are you calling me? I thought you had big plans tonight." Again she came back to that question. Was he in trouble again?

"I just wanted to see if you were home. Can I stop by? I want to talk to you about something important." His voice was tight, as if he expected her to deny him.

_As if I could deny him anything_. That thought startled her but she quickly pushed it down and said crisply, "Sure, I'm not too busy tonight. I suppose I can talk for a few minutes."

The relief in his voice was evident when he said, "Great! I'll see you in a little while, then." As the phone clicked off in her hand, a knock sounded at her door.

_Would he really have made the call from the hall outside my apartment?_ she wondered as she turned to answer it, first checking the peep-hole out of habit. What she saw standing on the other side of the door make her reach back for her phone and press the #1 speed-dial button while she reached for her briefcase on the floor, pulled out her gun, and cocked it.

"Mulder," came the strong voice loud and clear on the second ring. There was a funny echo in the background.

"Mulder, how far from my place are you?" she said quickly. "There's someone at my door dressed all in black, wearing a black helmet. How fast can you get here?"

"Scully, look through the peep-hole again," came back Mulder's voice, thick with amusement.

She did as he said and was embarrassed to see it was Mulder outside her door, grinning like a mad-man. Well, that explained the echo, anyway.

Before opening the door, Scully took another long look through the peep-hole. Despite the visual distortions of the looking-glass, her partner looked incredible. Now that she knew who it was, Scully was able to take in the effect of the costume being worn by the man outside her door.

He was wearing black jeans and heavy, black boots. He had on a black T-shirt under a black leather jacket. Under his arm he held a black motorcycle helmet. He looked amazing. Her breath quickened as she took him in, then slowed as she wondered, _What is he doing here?_ Before she could puzzle over it further she put the safety on her gun, dropped it back in the briefcase, and released the locks on the door and pulled it open. The view she got left her staring with her mouth open. Forget what she saw through the peep-hole. He was the sexiest thing she'd ever seen!

Mulder quickly realized that he was the reason his partner looked like she'd just seen Elvis. His face grew red and he pushed his way past Scully, closed and locked the door, and stood in the middle of the living room, looking uncomfortable.

"Hey," he said finally. "Did you forget I do have a life outside the office?"

"Mulder, neither one of us has a life and you know it. Unless you are going to tell me you've been keeping a wife and five kids a secret from me for the last four years!" Scully was trying desperately to pull herself together and slow down her breathing. Gosh, was it hot in here? "What are you doing here and why are you dressed like that? I thought you had a date tonight."

Mulder's face registered surprise and shock. "A date? Why would you think that? I haven't had a date in months."

"Today at work you were so giddy. It seemed like something big was happening after work and a date seemed to be the most logical conclusion." The feeling of relief washing over her was almost embarrassing. "So are you saying you didn't have a date tonight?" It didn't hurt to be certain.

"No, there was no date. I guess I was pretty excited today. Do you want to know why? That's why I came to see you. It wasn't much fun alone and I wanted someone to share it with. Do you want to know?" Mulder's eyes looked into hers, searching for the answer he wanted.

He was such a kid sometimes! It was cute, endearing. How could she resist him? Scully knew she couldn't. That had already been proven too many times to count. "Yes, I want to know what you are doing here. Tell me. And tell me why you are dressed like you stepped from the _Terminator_ movie."

He laughed, his eyes glowing with excitement. "First you have to get dressed in something else. Put on some jeans and a warm sweater and a heavy jacket. Do you have any heavy boots or shoes? You need something that will protect your feet."

"Why? Please don't tell me we are going someplace cold. I finally got warm and comfortable tonight. This had better be worth it." Scully grumbled as she moved to do what he asked. Mulder laughed at her complaints, knowing she was getting curious. His excitement was contagious.

Scully pulled open drawers and her closet, searching for the right clothes. She came back after several moments, dressed in jeans and a heavy turtleneck sweater, carrying boots and a short leather jacket that looked like Mulder's, but more feminine. "Are these boots heavy enough?" she asked, holding them up. "I use them for hiking and outdoor work."

Mulder took in her outfit, grinning in appreciation at the fit of her jeans and nodding his approval of her boots. "They will be fine. I like your jacket. Why don't you ever wear it? I've never seen it before."

"Mulder, can't you just picture this jacket over one of my suit coats? It would make a lovely sight, don't you think? I can just imagine the looks I'd get passing through security at work wearing this with a suit. No, everyone thinks I'm crazy to work with you; the last thing I need is to give the appearance of insanity!" She watched his face to see if her words hurt him and when he grinned, she relaxed her posture. He was in a good mood tonight. "I got the jacket a couple of years ago because I wanted it. I just don't get many chances to wear it. Besides, it weighs a ton. It's not the best thing to wear in the car on a long trip. This isn't going to be a long car trip, is it?"

Mulder smiled in anticipation. "No, it isn't going to be a long car trip. It is going to be a trip, the length of which depends on you. Are you ready to go yet?"

While they bantered back and forth, Scully sat on the sofa, lacing up her boots. She now stood up quickly and slung her arms in her jacket.

"I'm ready. Do I need anything else? Oh, wait. Let me get my gun and badge and some money. I've learned I usually need at least one of those things when I go anywhere with you." Mulder's unusually light mood was affecting her positively.

Her earlier discouragement was gone and she felt a tingle of excitement starting to stir in her gut. This was like an adventure! She felt like she was in college again, getting ready to raid the rival school's gym locker room before a big game.

In a moment she stood in front of him, "I'm ready!"

"Then let's go!" he replied. Mulder draped his arm around her shoulders as they moved out the door, in what he hoped came across as a friendly/buddy gesture. He couldn't help himself. He was just so excited that she agreed to go with him, he had to touch her. Scully allowed, and enjoyed, the contact, happy he was feeling comfortable enough to do so.

They quickly left her apartment building and entered the parking lot.

"Are we taking your car or do you expect me to drive?" Scully asked. She looked around the lot but didn't even see his car. "Did you drive? How did you get here?"

Meanwhile, Mulder was leading her to the far side of the lot, directly toward a motorcycle - a Harley-Davidson motorcycle to be exact. "This is how I got here. This is why I have been so excited today. This is it."

Scully stopped in her tracks. "You have a motorcycle? Somehow, I never pictured you as a biker. Why didn't I know about this?" She was shocked. Suddenly she remembered the helmet he had been holding when she opened the door, and that he had held the whole time he was in her apartment. Some FBI agent she was! She couldn't even see the obvious when it was right in front of her face. Mulder's outfit, or perhaps the body within the outfit, distracted her, she admitted to herself.

"I just got it today. I've been looking all over the place for one of these used, in good condition, at a price I could afford to pay. I bought this from a guy in California. That's why the body is in such good shape. It has been exposed to very little bad weather. It had to be shipped to me and it just came today" Mulder paused to let Scully's thoughts catch up to his words. She was standing next to him with a baffled look on her face.

He asked tentatively, "Will you go for a ride with me? I was out by myself for most of the evening but found out I wasn't having much fun. I guess the experience of the bike is better if you have someone to experience it with."

Scully turned to look at him. Mulder couldn't read her expression and it worried him. Did she hate motorcycles? Was she afraid? Would she refuse to go with him? The worst-case scenarios flooded his mind and made him feel like this was the worst idea he'd ever had.

He said quickly, "You don't have to go if you don't want to."

Scully laughed. It was a laugh filled with pure joy and excitement. "Of course I'll go. Don't you know I love motorcycles? Charlie had one when he was in high school and he took me for rides once in a while. It is the best thing in the world!"

Relief flooded Mulder and a big grin spread across his face. "Great! I really wanted you to come with me. I love riding. The feeling of freedom you get on one of these babies is amazing." The look he gave her was one of pure mischief. He walked to the bike and began touching it as he spoke, the light in his eyes getting brighter with every word. "See, it's a Sportster. I guess that won't mean anything to you. The guy I bought it from threw in the saddlebags for free."

Scully slowly circled the machine, running her fingers over the shiny chrome and soft leather, admiring the sleek lines. Mulder watched her appreciatively. He was pleased to see she felt an attraction to the motorcycle, just as he did. Finally she finished her inspection and turned to him. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go! Do you have a helmet for me?"

He nodded and pulled one out of a saddlebag and handed it to her. "Do you need help with the strap?" he asked.

"No, thanks, I have worked one of these before!" She grinned at him. He was so anxious for everything to go well.

After minimal fidgeting and checking, Mulder climbed on the bike and Scully hopped on behind him, her feet finding the foot pegs and gripping them tightly. Next she wrapped her arms around Mulder and gripped him tightly.

_Hmm. There could be some major benefits to this mode of transportation,_ she thought as she pressed her body against his back and clenched her knees into his thighs. He wriggled a little when her arms grabbed his stomach.

"What's the matter? You aren't ticklish, are you?" she asked, squeezing her fingers under the edge of his jacket and digging in lightly.

"Stop that! If you do that when we are going 70 miles per hour on the highway you won't think it is so funny!" Mulder squirmed and grabbed her hands, wrapping them tightly around his waist. "Now leave those there where they won't cause an accident!"

Scully sat demurely with her hands still and obedient and when he was sure she wasn't going to tickle him again, Mulder started the bike. The sound of the engine through her helmet and the vibration of it through her seat made Scully wonder how she could have missed hearing him when he pulled into the parking lot. There was nothing subtle about this machine.

"Are you ready?" he yelled over the sound of the bike. In response, Scully squeezed his waist with her arms and his thighs with her knees. There was no sense in trying to make her be heard over the roaring of the engine. Yes, she was ready. She anticipated this was going to be the ride of her life.

They slowly pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road. "Just lean with me, whatever you do. I'll try to warn you before we take any hard corners." Mulder didn't want anything to go wrong on this ride. He'd nearly destroyed her life already through her association with him and the X-files. The last thing he needed was to kill or maim her in a motorcycle accident.

The night was pleasantly cool. She was glad to have her jacket, but wished she'd thought to bring gloves. Mulder had pulled some on before he started the bike but Scully's fingers were quickly getting chilled. Well, there was one obvious solution. She began to worm her fingers under his jacket again, trying not to tickle him this time. Yes, that was much better. He was nice and warm inside his jacket and her fingers quickly returned to their normal, warm-blooded temperature.

"I thought we'd take the highway to the river. I know a good place to ride on some back roads out there." Mulder tried to make her hear him over the roaring of the machine and the blowing of the wind. She squeezed him again to let him know she got at least some of the message.

God, was he enjoying this. He could feel her little body pressed tight against his, down the full length of his back. Her knees kept their vigil against his thighs and her fingers under his jacket, well, you couldn't get much better than that. Yes, this had to be what heaven was like.

Mulder directed the bike onto the on-ramp and began to accelerate to match the speed of the traffic on the highway. He loved the feeling of raw power beneath him, loved knowing he controlled that power.

He yelled, "Hold on!" and quickly gunned the accelerator, moving them into the passing lane and quickly reaching 70 mph. He would have loved to go faster but didn't want to do anything that might scare Scully. Suddenly she began to whoop and holler in his ear. He couldn't understand what she was saying but he did understand the tone of her message. She was having a blast and wanted to share it with the world. The world and him. Suddenly Mulder felt incredibly lucky to be the one carrying this particular woman on the back of his bike. When did life get so good?

Scully was thrilling to the feel of the wind on her face and the power of the bike beneath her butt. She was also thrilling to the feel of Mulder as she pressed against him, trying to keep the wind from getting between their bodies. How did this happen? Just this morning she was fretting that he seemed to be distancing himself from her. Was she misreading him? Maybe it didn't matter at all. Tonight they weren't FBI agents. Tonight they were just friends. Tonight was all that mattered right now.

Mulder slowed and signaled to pull into the right lane as their exit approached. He pulled onto the off-ramp and began the journey to the river. He had already been here once today, on his first ride after he picked up the bike. But the magic wasn't there then. He couldn't enjoy it by himself. That was when he found himself on his way to Scully's apartment, hoping she would come. He couldn't think of anyone else who belonged there with him.

They spent more than an hour on the road, driving slowly by the river, watching the moon path race beside them on the water, or driving as fast as possible, as though the devil himself were on their tail. It was so much fun! They finally decided to take a break and Mulder drove to a park that overlooked the river - a beautiful place to rest. He pulled into a parking spot and turned off the motor. They just sat for a moment, afraid to move or speak for fear the camaraderie they had been feeling would vanish into the night.

Slowly, Scully began to move away, pulling her fingers from under Mulder's jacket and letting the pressure of her knees fall away. Mulder resisted the strong urge to lean back into her, already missing the feeling of her body against his.

"Oh. Ow!" Scully almost yelled the words as she tried to pull her leg over the bike to get off. "I think I was holding on too tight! My muscles are killing me!"

Mulder leaned forward so she could get her leg past him. When she swung it over to meet the other one and slid down to touch the ground she groaned again. "Yes, I was definitely holding on too tight," she said.

"I didn't think so," Mulder replied, the mischievous look on his face and in his eyes again.

Scully blushed deep red and tried to avoid his eyes. "I was only making sure I didn't fall or get thrown off!" she tried to defend herself. What's the use? A man will think whatever he wants to, anyway.

Mulder was rummaging around in the saddlebags. "Here, hold this," he said, handing Scully a blanket, then a bag of sunflower seeds, two bottles of iced tea, a bag of peanut M & M's, and a bag of carrots. "I didn't know if you would want sweet or healthy," he said, looking at the snacks she was holding. "I hope you want at least one of them. I know I will never eat the carrots. Give me some of that stuff and let's find a good place to sit and relax."

"When did you get these things?" Scully asked as they walked toward the river. "It looks like you showed up at my place awfully prepared for…this. I thought it was a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing."

"When I realized I wasn't having fun, I decided to take a chance and see if you would come with me. On my way I had to stop for gas so I just got some stuff while I was at the convenience mart." He stopped at a likely spot, scanned the area for anything better, and then moved to spread the blanket. "I put the blanket in before I even took it for the first ride. I guess I had a premonition I might need it."

He dropped to the ground and took the things Scully was holding, motioning for her to sit next to him. She suddenly felt self-conscious. This was starting to feel like a date, a romantic date. In fact, the last time she sat on a blanket next to a body of water under the moonlight, she was on a date. That it had happened over ten years ago was irrelevant. It still was a date. She began to wonder if this was a date, too.

"Are you going to stand there all night?" His voice broke through her thoughts and she shook her head and lowered herself to the blanket. It couldn't be a date. This was Mulder, her partner. She knew he cared about her but not in the way that would lead him to take her on a date. She was just being paranoid. _Get a grip, Dana. It's Mulder. Enjoy yourself, even if you don't understand it._

Mulder passed her the M & M's, the carrots, and a tea. He ripped open the sunflower seeds and began his ritual, enjoying his snack. Scully studied the candy and the carrots, then put the carrots down.

"I think I'll start with the M & M's. So, Mulder, tell me how you got this bike. Why did you get a bike? Have you ridden much before?" Suddenly she wanted to know it all, to understand why he enjoyed it so much and why she had never heard about it before.

So Mulder shared his story, explained his passion for riding, and finally got Scully to tell about her experience with motorcycles.

Time eventually found them both lying on their backs looking at the sky. Once the questions about motorcycles had stopped flying, Scully noticed the stars. It was such a perfect night. The knoll they sat on was far enough from the city that light pollution was barely a factor. The astronomy lessons from her undergraduate days trickled into her mind and she was delighted to find she actually remembered the names of many of the constellations she was seeing.

When silence reigned for several minutes, Mulder began to fear that Scully had fallen asleep. He got up on one elbow and leaned over to see her face. Her eyes were opened and moving quickly, scanning the sky.

"What are you doing?" he asked. She looked so peaceful and contented lying there.

"I was remembering my astronomy. Did you see how clear the sky is tonight? I wish we had an observatory around here open to the public. It is so beautiful. Lay down, Mulder. You are blocking my view of Orion and Canis Major."

"I know Orion," said Mulder, as he lay back down. He turned his body so his head was touching Scully's, trying to get her perspective on the sky. "There he is!" he said, pointing. "What is Canis Major?"

Scully grabbed his still-pointing arm and directed it to the stars that made the body of the Big Dog. "The Little Dog, Canis Minor, is just those two little stars to the left of Orion, by his head. Canis Minor is the dog of Gemini, the twins. That is them, standing back to back, above Orion." She used his arm again to trace out Gemini until he could see what she was showing him. "Look at Orion's belt. Just below it on the left, can you see that sparkly bunch of stars? That is his sword. It is called the Orion Nebula. That is the place where stars are being born, even as we speak."

Her voice glowed with excitement as she told the stories of the constellations in the sky. Mulder was amazed at the depth of her knowledge.

When he expressed his surprise she laughed, "You should meet my professor. He was the nerdiest looking guy I'd ever seen. But when he started teaching you could tell he knew it all and he wanted us to love it like he did. I loved that class. At the end of the semester I felt like I was walking away with knowledge I could hold in my hand and pull out and show to people. I never got that feeling in psychology or history. I am amazed at how much I remember. Dr. B must have pounded it in harder than I realized!"

As silence took over again, Mulder checked his watch. He was shocked to see that it was 2:00 am. How could it have gotten to be so late? He couldn't remember ever having such a good, relaxed time with someone.

Hating to break the mood but feeling a sense of responsibility to his partner he said, "Scully, it's two in the morning. Do you want me to take you home? I'm sorry; I didn't realize so much time had passed."

Scully laughed at the sound of guilt in his voice. "Mulder, it is not your fault that time passes. If you ever found the way to stop it you'd be the richest man in the world. No, I don't think I need to go home yet, unless you want to. I'm not doing anything tomorrow that I need to be awake for. I do, however, need to pee like crazy. I don't suppose this park you picked has any bathrooms, does it?"

Mulder tried to look sympathetic but couldn't hide a smile when he responded, "No, Scully, no bathrooms. It looks like you had better pick a nice tree to get friendly with."

"Do you at least have a tissue or a napkin I could use?" she said. "Sometimes I hate being a girl. If a park ranger comes along just as I drop my pants, I'm blaming you for the whole thing!"

Mulder ran back to the bike and rummaged around until he found a small, slightly crumpled napkin that looked like it had spent the majority of its life in the saddlebag. He passed it to her sheepishly, saying, "This is all there is. You'd better get it all out now so you won't have to go again later!"

Scully was ready to slug him for that last crack but when she stood up she suddenly realized she really had to go. Grabbing the napkin she broke into a run toward the small stand of trees near where they had been sitting.

"Don't you look at me, now! I shot you once and wouldn't have any qualms about doing it again," she yelled over her shoulder as she took refuge in the security of the trees.

At least she was wearing dark clothes, not that it would matter one iota once she pulled down her jeans and exposed her white butt to the world. Why had God granted men the luxury of peeing standing up while cursing women with the squat? She hated peeing outdoors. But when you have to go, what can you do?

The deed done, Scully ran back to the blanket and threw herself on it, scaring Mulder who had used her absence to fall asleep.

"Are you sure you don't want to take me home? You seem awfully tired," she said. Mulder growled low in his throat and moved to make room for her. Once she got herself settled, he moved and laid his head on her stomach.

"Is this okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, um, sure," she replied. This was interesting. "Am I to assume the growl meant you don't want to go home yet, or are you turning into the Wolfman? I'd like to know ahead of time if I need to defend myself."

His laughter made his head bounce on her stomach. Good thing she'd just emptied her bladder or that would have caused a BIG problem!

"I am just enjoying this night too much to let it end now. Do you mind if we stay for a while longer?" The soft tone he spoke in made her heart melt. What was the power this man held over her? He was starting to get under her skin. He was starting to get into her heart.

Wait a minute, what was that last thought? Scully's heart jumped and her mind froze. Who said he was getting into her heart? Denial rushed to aid the distress and she chided herself for being silly.

Fortunately, Mulder's voice broke into her thoughts and distracted her. "This reminds me of when I was ten. It was a warm summer night. I'd gotten a one-man tent for my birthday but because that was October, I'd never had a chance to use it. After I begged for almost a week, I finally was given permission to sleep in the backyard. I remember crawling in and getting into my sleeping bag. I was so excited. It was so hot in that tent. I got hotter and hotter. Finally I couldn't take it any more. I had to get out. But I wouldn't relinquish the rights of my own tent so I compromised. I slept with my legs in and my head out. I remember seeing the sky like it is now. What a fun night. I didn't get any sleep. What kid can go to sleep the first time they sleep outside?"

Mulder turned his head to look at Scully's face, to see what she was thinking. What he got was an eyeful. He forgot where his head was and when he turned, he discovered he was looking straight at her breasts. For a moment he just held his breath. All night he tried to remind himself that this was his friend, his partner. For some reason the evening started feeling like a date and he wanted to remember it was nothing of the sort. They were just friends, out for a motorcycle ride and a stop at the river. He was doing okay until now. But what can you do when you are looking at someone's chest and they know it?

"Mulder, breathe." Her words were like a slap in the face.

He quickly drew in a breath and turned his head the other way. _No, wait, I don't think I should be looking there, either,_ his brain said and he quickly closed his eyes and turned his head so he was once again looking at the sky.

"Sorry." The word came out sharp and regretful. He was sorry he made her feel uncomfortable, but somehow he couldn't make himself be sorry he looked. What kind of a friend was he, anyway?

Scully struggled to keep from laughing. The look on his face when he realized what he was staring at was priceless. She could almost hear the cogs in his brain come to a screeching halt as he was confronted by the objects which make most men stop thinking with their brains and start thinking with, well, other parts of their anatomy. She'd suspected it before but now she knew for sure; Mulder was a breast man.

Trying to keep the amusement out of her voice she said, "Mulder, it's okay. I've seen you check them out before. I'm sure you'll check them out again. At least it wasn't intentional this time. You didn't hurt me. You treated me with respect. There was no harm done. Get past it. Don't let something as silly at this ruin the evening."

Mulder turned his head, careful to make eye contact with Scully, and not other parts of her. She was smiling. Actually, she seemed really amused. She thought this was funny? What could be funny?

Despite himself, Mulder began to relax. Well, if Scully could laugh about it, maybe it was funny. He tried a tentative smile and that was all it took. Scully burst out in uproarious laughter, making his head bounce all around her stomach. That made Mulder laugh and made Scully laugh even harder. The two of them lay on the ground laughing until they had to hold their stomachs from the pain. Yeah, he guessed it was funny.

Once the laughter subsided and they regained their breath, both Scully and Mulder just lay there in a companionable silence. What a great evening it was. Suddenly a cold wind started to blow. It quickly made them both chilled, despite their warm clothes.

"Well, Scully, it looks like we have two options: I can take you home now so we can get out of this wind or we will have to roll up and snuggle together in this blanket. What's it going to be?" Mulder held his breath, waiting to see what she would say. He really liked the idea of snuggling but he wasn't sure if that was appropriate, acceptable behavior.

"I don't know, Mulder. I'm afraid that if I keep laying here I'm going to fall asleep. And while it can be fun to go to sleep outside under the stars, I know for a fact that it is very little fun to wake up after sleeping on the hard ground all night." Scully hated to end their time together but her practical side knew it probably was time to go home. "How about we go for another spin on the bike and then you take me home. It really is too cold to be out here much longer."

Mulder sighed. Yeah, he knew she was right. But if he took her home now, would they ever be able to regain this level of friendship, of comfort with each other? He wanted to hold on to it for as long as he could. Good times came few and far-between in his life; he didn't want to risk losing this.

"Okay, we'll go. But first you have to promise me something." He paused, wondering if he really had the nerve to say it. Maybe he did. "Can we do this again sometime? Sometime soon?"

Scully sat still on the blanket. Was he asking her out? So what if he was? It was no crime to get together and have fun.

Out of defiance to her own hesitations she firmly stuck out her chin and said, "Yes, I will do this again with you. I've had loads of fun tonight and I can't wait until we can go out again." There, she said it. Sometimes it is so hard to just say what you are feeling. But it was important. She wanted him to know how she felt. Now it was up to him.

His face broke out in a huge smile. She had fun with him! And she wanted to do it again! He guessed he could give in and take her home, now that he had the promise of another good time to come. "Great! I'll have my people talk to your people and we'll work something out. Should we get going, then?"

They stood and picked up the remains of their snacks, then shook out the blanket and folded it. As they moved back to the bike they walked very close. Their skin wasn't touching but their essence was. Something had happened tonight that changed their relationship. It was a good thing.

**Author's Second Note: **Okay, I know I wrote this a while ago but, honestly, _Xena: Warrior Princess_? That's what I had Scully watching on TV? I cringe but resist the urge to change it, along with the overwhelming volume of internal monologue. If you stuck with it long enough to get to this note, I thank you. You must have incredibly low standards for reading material!


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

When they reached the bike, Mulder handed Scully her helmet and turned to put on his own. He stowed the blanket and left-over snacks in a saddlebag and climbed on, then shifted forward to let Scully climb on behind him.

"You'd better tuck your hands under my jacket again, so your fingers don't freeze." His tone was teasing but as he spoke he pulled her fingers up under his jacket, making sure her hands were secured before he started the bike. Scully didn't respond, she just snuggled her hands into his abdomen and settled in for the ride.

They were quickly on the road. Mulder took a couple of spins through the back roads again before heading to the highway to take Scully home. She breathed a sigh of regret as they approached her apartment. She didn't want the night to end. Sometimes it was so hard to do the right thing.

Mulder pulled the bike up to the curb and parked it, hopped off, then turned to help Scully dismount. She handed him the helmet and said, "Thanks for asking me to go with you. I really had a good time." She tried to sound cheerful, to hide the sadness she was feeling. "Stop being such a baby," she told herself. Why did she feel so depressed? This was absurd, not at all like her.

Mulder grabbed her arm and steered her toward the door, saying, "I'm walking you to your apartment. You never know who or what might be waiting for you in there." He grinned to show her he didn't expect any danger. Mulder couldn't quite say goodnight just yet. This way he could stretch it out a little longer.

When they reached her door, Scully dug her keys out of her jacket and unlocked it. She turned to face Mulder, wondering nervously if he was going to try and kiss her. Suddenly this really felt like a date, or rather, like the end of a date, a really good date. Was he going to kiss her? Did she want him to? Should she let him? When did life get so complicated?

Mulder stood in front of her, studying her face. It seemed like a million emotions were flooding there, mirroring the chaos rolling around in him. He considered kissing her. _Do you suppose she'd let me?_ he asked himself. Then he wondered if he should. Rules at work discouraged such things. But he really wanted to. Why was this so hard?

Scully quickly squished down her emotions and took control of the situation. She pushed her door open and moved to step inside. "Have a good night, Mulder. Don't fall asleep on the ride home! Thanks again for asking me to go with you. It's been a long time since I've had so much fun. This was really good for me." On a whim she added, "Can you call me when you get home? I'd like to know you made it safely."

A smile crossed Mulder's face as he realized he's just been saved from making a really hard decision. "Yeah, I'll call you. You don't need to worry about me, though. I'm not tired at all." As he finished speaking a huge yawn forced itself out and Scully laughed at him.

"Yeah, you aren't tired at all. I'm not staying up too much longer so you go straight home and call me. I don't want to lay awake worrying about you being in an accident!" Scully gently pushed him down the hall, toward the door. Mulder did what she wanted, figuring he'd better make his escape now, before he was tempted to do something that would get him in trouble.

"Okay, good night. I hope you sleep well. I'll see you on Monday." He went to the outside door and looked back to see her staring after him. Mulder shot her a smile and was pleased to receive one in return. Yeah, this was a good way to end the evening. He smiled again as he left the building.

Scully watched him go, enjoying one last glimpse of his tight jeans as he left. One thing was certain, he was a babe. She'd often noticed how his Armani suits fit him so well, but she didn't usually get to see him in street clothes. Mmmm. Nice butt!

Shaking her head at her own thoughts, Scully went into her apartment and locked the door behind her. The remains of her popcorn and tea dinner were still sitting on the coffee table. She smiled as she thought about how differently the night had turned out, considering the way it started. Gathering up the food and disposing of it in the kitchen, Scully moved to the bedroom to get ready for bed.

Fox Mulder headed for home, all the while thinking good thoughts about his partner. He'd had such a good time tonight. And he'd almost kissed her. His partner. He still wanted to kiss her. He wanted to kiss his partner. Fox felt giddy at the thought of kissing Scully. Shaking his head at his thoughts, Mulder gunned the bike and sped toward home. He had a promise to keep - one he had no intention of breaking.

Scully quickly brushed her teeth and washed her face, then dug through a drawer, looking for that special…there it was. She didn't know why she felt like wearing this tonight but she did. As she slipped the green silk gown over her head she suddenly felt foolish. Was she wearing this because he would be calling her tonight? Maybe. Was it foolish? Probably. Did she care? Not too much.

Mentally sticking out her tongue at her conscience, she climbed into bed and turned off the light. She made sure the phone was within reach and settled in to wait. Scully mentally calculated how long it would take to get to Mulder's apartment from hers, considering traffic (none at 3:30am) and temporary distractions (could be anything, knowing Mulder). She figured she had about ten more minutes before she could reasonably expect him to call, and gave him a 15 minute leeway before she started to panic and wonder if he'd been in an accident.

Scully snuggled into the bed, drawing her blankets and sheets around her, glad to be warm and cozy. She suddenly was really tired and hoped she wouldn't fall asleep before Mulder called. Then the phone rang.

"Mulder?"

"Who else do you expect would be calling you at this hour?" His voice was warm and comforting.

Scully snuggled deeper into her bed, enjoying the sound of his voice. She suddenly felt like she was in high school and the boy of her dreams had finally called her. She stifled a giggle.

"Just a deranged psychopath, I'm sure. I'm assuming you got home safely. You must have been flying. I didn't expect to get your call for another 5 minutes. I hope you weren't speeding!" Scully rolled over onto her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows.

Mulder heard the sound of rustling sheets. She was in bed already. The question was out of his mouth before he had a chance to censor it. "Scully, what are you wearing?"

Suddenly Scully felt very foolish to be wearing the green silk gown. Should she tell him? "Why do you want to know, Mulder?"

"I just do. Please tell me." He couldn't believe he was asking this, but now that he'd said it, he had to know. He used his best puppy voice, "Please? I'll tell you what I'm wearing!"

Scully laughed, "I'm not making any deals with you, Mulder!" He made a whimpering sound and she suddenly found herself wanting to tell him. "Okay, fine. I'll tell you. It's just a nightgown."

"What does it look like?" Mulder kept using the puppy voice. He couldn't believe she was going along with this.

"It's long, emerald-green silk with spaghetti straps." Scully couldn't believe she was telling him. Time to change the subject. "A deal's a deal, Mulder. What are you wearing?"

Mulder was reeling from the mental picture of his business-suit partner in a long, emerald-green silk nightgown. Did she always wear sexy stuff to bed at home? He'd never considered it before because he knew she wore men's pajamas when they were out of town on a case. Mulder was starting to enjoy the thought of Scully lying in bed in sexy lingerie.

"Mulder? Hello? Did you fall asleep on me? We had a deal. You aren't going to get out of this one. Tell me what you are wearing." Scully had a mental picture of her partner having a mental picture of her and she suddenly began feeling uncomfortable. She had to nip this one in the bud, didn't she?

"Um, yeah. I'm wearing what I was wearing tonight. The last time I saw you. Is that okay? I could put on something else, if you want." He felt kind of confused, almost as if he hadn't fulfilled his part of the bargain. He began pulling off his boots and shirt, and looked around the apartment for something more interesting to put on.

The conversation suddenly began to sound ridiculous to Scully. What in the world were they doing? She could hear Mulder moving around his apartment and when she heard a zipper going down she started to panic.

"Mulder, stop! It doesn't matter what you are wearing! You should be getting ready for bed and going to sleep! That's what I'm doing. I'm glad to hear you got home safely, but I really need to go to sleep now, okay?"

Mulder stood still and realized how out of control he felt. "Um, okay. Yeah, I do need to get some sleep, I guess. Well, sleep well. I'll see you on Monday, I guess. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Mulder. Try and get some sleep. I'll see you on Monday." Scully hung up the phone and wondered what the heck had just happened. She was suddenly very tired and she didn't feel like trying to puzzle it out now. Tomorrow she could give it some thought. It was bound to make more sense when she wasn't so tired.

Scully put the phone back on the night stand and rolled over, wrapping the covers around her securely. She remembered Fox Mulder's comforting, warm voice telling her to sleep well and smiled in the dark. She had a feeling she would have good dreams tonight. Sleep came easily.

Mulder, on the other hand, was still dealing with his darned thoughts. Once a mental picture of Dana in a green silk nightgown formed in his mind, he couldn't get rid of it. He took off his clothes and settled on the couch in his boxers, turning on the TV to see if there was anything on to soothe and distract him from that one mental picture. God, she was beautiful. After struggling to focus his thoughts on something else, Mulder resigned himself to one fact: he wasn't going to get much sleep tonight; that was for certain.

The sun woke Scully the next morning. She woke easily, feeling like the weigh of the world had been lifted from her responsibility. As she replayed in her mind the events from the previous night, she smiled. How could one night out make such a difference in her attitude? She felt young and carefree. It had been a long time since she had felt this way.

She went about her typical weekend routine, running errands and getting groceries, and made plans to have dinner with her mom.

The more time passed, the more Scully thought about the previous evening. Her logical, common sense side began to get worried about the path her relationship with Mulder seemed to be taking. Suddenly what had seemed like a lovely evening seemed incredibly dangerous to both of them. If the consortium ever found out that they were having un-partner-like feelings for one another it could be even more dangerous for them than it already was. They couldn't have a relationship! How could she have even begun to think that way?

By the time she met her mom for dinner, Scully was almost totally panicked. He mom took one look at her and knew something was wrong. Her normally cool and collected daughter was terribly distraught.

"Okay, tell me what's happened," Maggie said. "You know you can't pull one over on your old mom, now can you?"

Simply having a sympathetic ear (and a trustworthy one) made Scully spill her guts, telling all that had happened recently with the case and Mulder's strange behavior, and, finally, the time they had had last night. It was such a relief to say it out loud and get it into the open. She didn't have anyone else she could even think about talking to about this. And her mom could fix anything, or at least make her feel better.

Maggie was thrilled to hear that her daughter was finally acknowledging feelings for her partner. Maggie herself saw Fox as a son and had been hoping for a match like this for a long time. Why did her daughter have to be so introspective and to-the-letter with her life? If Dana wasn't careful, she was going to ruin a very good thing!

"Dana, why do you have to make everything so hard for yourself? If you and Fox want to have fun together, do it! I know you have all sorts of rules about fraternizing within your job but does that mean you aren't allowed to just have fun?" Maggie smiled at her daughter, trying to make her realize how paranoid she was being.

"But mom, you don't realize how having a romantic relationship could hurt my friendship and working relationship with Mulder. That's why it is discouraged at work. When you form emotional attachments to individuals, you can compromise the safety of others in the field. There are good reasons for the rules at work." Scully knew the soundness of her argument, but the truth of her words only made her more frustrated. While spilling her guts had had a soothing effect initially, discussing the situation now was making her feel tense and angry.

"From what I see, your relationship with Fox is very strong. You are good friends, and you need each other. What a better way to begin a relationship? Your dad and I were very good friends before we started seeing each other seriously. I don't see how it could make your friendship any less than it already is. You need Fox. I can see it perfectly, even if you can't. And I don't care about your work rules. I know you. You will never let anything compromise your integrity to do your job to the best of your ability, regardless of your feelings for the people you work with. You are a professional, more than I want sometimes. If your boss has any doubts about that, you have him talk to me and I'll straighten him out. I worry about you, Dana. You take your work more seriously than you do your private life. You need a balance. And if your personal life takes shape through relationships formed in your professional life, then so be it. Besides, I like Fox." Maggie stopped speaking, and re-evaluated her words. "Sorry, Dana. I didn't mean to be so preachy. You can see this is a topic very close to my heart. I just want you to be happy."

"Mom, I am happy. I like my job. And I like my partnership AND friendship with Mulder. And I might like to have a romantic relationship with Mulder. But I don't know for sure. And you have said some things I think you've wanted to say for a while. I will think about them. This may be totally premature, anyway. I don't know how Mulder feels about me. I know I'm not his type. I may be jumping to conclusions and causing trouble. I think I'm just going to let this slide and treat him just like I always do. Last night was just a friendly gesture that I've put too much meaning into."

Scully decided to believe that what she said was true and she was going to leave it at that. There was no reason to complicate her life by trying to have a relationship with Mulder, anyway. Regardless of how sexy he was, without a doubt he was the most frustrating man on the planet. Her mind made up, Scully refused to say another word about it for the rest of the meal, no matter what her mother said.

By the time she got home Scully was tired and frustrated. Her day had started off so well; why did she feel so sad, like she lost a good thing? She knew she had made the right decision. Her heart just didn't agree with her.

She sat on her couch in the dark, evaluating everything that had happened, everything she had been thinking about. She didn't admit it, but she was also secretly listening. She was listening for the sound of a motorcycle to go past her building, to pull into her parking lot. She was listening for a heavy hand to knock at her door. If Mulder were to show up again tonight, what would she do? Her mind told her to stick to her principles. Her heart told her to have some fun for a change, to let her emotions run wild. In the end she fell asleep on the couch, feeling the battle within, and not knowing which side was going to win.

She never heard the motorcycle cruise past her building. She never heard it pull into the parking lot. She never heard the knocking at her door because he didn't knock. When he saw her lights were off he assumed she wasn't home. She never saw the disappointed look on his face as he pulled out of the parking lot and drove away.

Mulder slept late. When he woke up he was surprised to discover he'd finally gone to sleep. The TV was on but the tape he'd put in about 8:30am had run out. The sun was streaming in the living room window, putting the time at somewhere around 2:00pm. He must have slept for almost five hours. Rubbing his hand over his face and hair, Mulder made his way to the bathroom and got into the shower. After brushing his teeth and shaving, he felt more like himself. Now, what should he do with the rest of his day?

He resisted an urge to call Scully. That would seem too pitiful, too desperate. And he wasn't desperate! Of course not. He'd just had a really good time last night. Thoughts of the evening had come back to him as he showered and got dressed. Memories of their phone conversation came to him next and he actually blushed when he remembered himself asking Scully what she was wearing. That brought back the mental picture of her in a green silk nightgown. At this point, Mulder was ready for another shower, a cold one this time. He decided he'd better do something to change his train of thought and so headed out to visit the Lone Gunman. They'd appreciate his bike and surely provide a distraction from his current mental state.

After a satisfactory visit, where Langley, Byers, and Frohike all expressed appropriate admiration for his new machine and took several short spins, Mulder found himself feeling better. Those guys were the greatest. They challenged him to a _Doom_ tournament and Frohike spent some time trying to get him to sell part of his video collection. All in all, it was a most satisfying afternoon. They finally ordered a pizza, and after checking it thoroughly for hidden microphones, they enjoyed it immensely.

After parting company, Mulder spent some time just touring the city on the motorcycle. It was interesting how different everything looked from a bike. It was as if his whole perception had changed with his mode of transportation. Maybe more than just his perception had changed.

He found himself thinking a lot about Scully. He really had a good time last night. He thought she did, too. It was so easy to be with her; four years of partnership had formed a strong bond between them. He remembered wanting to kiss her. Would their friendship provide an easy transition into something more? Did he want that? Or was it just his hormones taking him on a trip?

As Mulder rode, he found himself thinking of all the women he'd been involved with in the past. Some were true horror stories, like Phoebe and Kirsten. None of them had given him any feeling of security. There was always a risk that he would be hurt. He could see now, in retrospect, that none of those women could be trusted with his heart. Dana Scully was the first person he'd come across that made him feel safe. She knew his downfalls and weaknesses and still stood by him. In fact, he'd been a real jerk to her and she still stood by him. When he'd run off and left her, she'd always tracked him down and come running to his aid. Why did she do that?

Mulder suddenly realized what an ass he was. He had never done anything good for Scully. Who was he to think he had any right to want to start a relationship with her? She wouldn't want him, anyway. She should be with someone who wasn't obsessive and paranoid and who could give her a real life, not one spent seeking out the weirdness and danger of the universe and living life on the run, looking for his sister. He cared about her too much to risk condemning her to a life like that. A life with him.

Having come to a decision, and making his resolve, Mulder decided to head for home. He'd go to work on Monday and act like nothing had happened. Actually, nothing had happened, except in his head. So it was no big deal. For Scully's sake, he'd leave her alone. That's what she'd want, anyway. So it was the right thing to do.

Mulder suddenly noticed where he was. While he'd been busy making decisions, he'd been driving toward Scully's neighborhood. Maybe he'd just go past her apartment and see if she was home. There was no harm in that. He was almost there, anyway. Maybe she'd want to go for a ride and would be disappointed if he didn't stop by.

As Mulder pulled into the parking lot he scanned the windows he knew belonged to her. No lights were on. She wasn't there. She wasn't waiting for him. She didn't need him. He couldn't help the intense disappointment he felt as he turned the bike around and headed home.

**Author's Note: **One more chapter and this is complete. It totally tickles me that you all are reading this!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Scully woke the next morning, only slightly surprised to awake on the couch. She had a stiff neck and a pounding headache. She felt like she had a hangover. Guess that's what stress and self pity, combined with a night on the couch can do to you. She stood in the shower until the water turned cold, crying out her frustration. She simply didn't know what to do next. She felt alone and sad, like she lost something very important but didn't even know what it was. All because of one stupid bike ride.

Out of desperation to get some sense of relief, she decided to go to church. If she couldn't find peace within herself, maybe she could find some with God. She didn't have much hope, but it was the only thing she could think of.

She hurried to get ready, hoping to meet her mom at the Catholic church Maggie always attended. Traffic was light on a Sunday morning and she got there just as early mass started. Standing in the back, Scully finally found her mom, but then hesitated to move to where she was sitting. Her mom would know she was really in bad shape if she saw her there today. Somehow she didn't think she could admit this much weakness, even to her own mother. Scully quickly slid into a back pew and dropped to her knees, far more intent on finding her own spiritual peace than the service taking place around her.

As she left the church with the other parishioners, Scully actually felt better. While she walked to her car she reflected on how the human spirit truly needs communion with a higher power to maintain a sense of balance. She felt stronger. She felt like herself. She felt ready to face Mulder and deal with what was happening between them, whatever it might be. She felt hungry.

Well, there was no time like the present to deal with all of these feelings. Scully drove home and changed her clothes, putting on her favorite well-worn jeans, a soft gray sweater, boots and her leather jacket. After gathering her gun and badge and sticking some money in her pocket, Scully made a call to the Chinese take-out place near Mulder's apartment and headed out.

She felt a little nervous standing in front of his door holding lunch, but at that point it was too late to turn back. She knocked quickly and waited, holding her breath. She waited and released her breath when she realized she was holding it. She knocked again and waited. Was he in there?

Scully was pulling out her keys to use the copy she had for his door when she heard movement from the other side. She shifted from one foot to the other, willing him to hurry. Finally the door opened. Mulder stood there in his jeans and a rumpled T-shirt, blinking wearily. He didn't look so good.

Mulder had spent a rough night. The disappointment he had felt the previous evening stayed with him the rest of the night. He drove straight home from Scully's and lay on his couch, counting the water spots on the ceiling. He thought about his life, all he had lost, all he had been through. He thought about how much he had regained when Scully was assigned to his department. She had filled in the gaps of the people who had left him. She stayed by his side through even the worst of experiences. She had lost and suffered greatly, all because she was with him. But she still stayed. Why? It didn't make any sense to his rational thinking.

He finally dozed off in the early morning but slept fitfully, nightmares peppering his dreams. He dreamt of when Sam was taken, his father's murder, Scully's disappearance and return and then her cancer. So many painful things had happened during his 32 years. There was plenty to fuel his nightmares. Mulder was reliving Scully's abduction when, mercifully, he was awakened by knocking. It took him several minutes to shake off the reality of the dream and realize that someone was at his door.

He was surprised to see Scully. She looked good and what she was holding smelled even better. He raised his eyebrows in question, asking why she was there. Scully pushed by him, squeezing the food bags onto his already overflowing coffee table.

She turned back to Mulder and appraised him with her eyes. "Are you okay, Mulder? It doesn't look like you had a very good night."

Mulder ran his hands through his hair and felt embarrassed to have her see him this way. He must look awful. He smoothed his hands over his face and winced when he felt the stubble on his chin. "Well, I didn't have a good night. Why are you here?"

Scully smiled at his obvious discomfort. She thought he looked cute, but definitely in need of a shower. "I thought you might need some lunch. I brought your favorite! But perhaps you should take a shower first. The food will keep."

She gently steered him in the direction of the bathroom. He was still disoriented, partly from sleep and partly from confusion by her appearance. Mulder went willingly, glad for an opportunity to escape her scrutiny.

While he was in the shower his brain fog cleared and he took some time to consider Scully's presence in his apartment. He wondered why she just showed up. Hadn't they come to an agreement yesterday? He wouldn't wreck her life by pursuing a relationship. No, wait, he didn't see Scully yesterday. That was his personal resolution. That meant she didn't know about it. So what did he do now?

He made his way to the bedroom and got dressed, all the while thinking about the woman in his living room. The feelings he had experienced while they were riding his motorcycle began to come back to him and he anticipated what this day might bring. If she didn't know about the resolution she might be thinking about something else. Suddenly, Mulder couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next.

"So, what's for lunch?" he asked as he came out of his bedroom, pulling a T-shirt over his head. Scully turned at the sound of his voice and caught a glimpse of his well-muscled chest before the shirt covered it. Whoa. She wasn't expecting a view like that. Sure, she'd seen his chest before, but only when he was sick and she was trying to help him. It had never looked so…. yummy. She could feel her body heat rising and she felt embarrassed. She didn't expect to respond to him like that.

"Scully? Are you okay? What's for lunch. I'm starving and it smells really good. Do I need to heat it up or do you think it is warm enough as is?" Mulder didn't notice Scully noticing him as he crossed the room and started digging through the bags she had brought in. "Nope, it's still hot. Well, warm enough for me, anyway. I hate the way the chicken gets rubbery when you reheat it. Can we eat out of these or do you want plates? Actually, I don't think I have any clean. Is it okay to eat out of these?"

Scully finally found her tongue and responded, "I don't care. I'm fine to eat out of the containers. Just don't mix the sesame chicken with that Kung Pao stuff. I like my Chinese as it was intended to be eaten, not mixed together. Are you sure the rice is hot enough?" She was glad to avoid discussing her red face and hot body. Mulder didn't seem to notice anyway.

God, he was cute. His hair was still wet and sticking up from where he had rubbed the towel over it. His very presence was making her even hotter. Maybe she should take the rice to the kitchen and put it in the microwave for a minute or two. It didn't really need to be heated up but she sure needed to cool down. She quickly grabbed the rice and made her escape.

Whew. She was hot. Think about something else Dana. You don't want to draw this problem to Mulder's attention, now do you?

Too soon the rice was done and she was forced to go back to the living room and rejoin her partner. He hadn't waited for the rice and was deep in the Kung Pao pork. He really seemed to be enjoying it.

"Thanks for bringing this over, Scully. I was really hungry. I shared pizza with the Gunmen last night but you know them, they pick through it so much I lose my appetite by the time they've finished looking for surveillance equipment."

"So what do they think of the motorcycle? Did Byers ride? Somehow I just can't picture that! Here's the rice." She dumped some rice into his pork and carefully added a little to the top of the sesame chicken, then dug in. "Oh, do you have anything to drink, or will my trip back to the kitchen be futile?" She shoved a forkful of chicken into her mouth and headed for the kitchen, not waiting for his answer. He mumbled something in response but his mouth was too full for it to make sense.

Mulder could hear Scully pushing things around in his fridge. He quickly chewed and swallowed so he could direct her search, but paused when she appeared with two beers in one hand and a pitcher of tea in the other.

"Did you make this tea recently or is it left over from the last time I was here, about 6 weeks ago?" He grinned sheepishly and she returned the tea to the kitchen. "Well, I guess we are having beer, then. Does beer go with Chinese food?" She handed him his beer and popped the top off hers, then took a long swig. "It's not too bad. What do you think?"

After taking a long drink of his own, Mulder nodded in response before digging into his meal again. They ate in silence for a while, until Scully plunked the remains of her chicken on the table and groaned appreciatively. "They make the best sesame chicken I've ever had. How did you luck out, living so close to that place?" Mulder just shrugged his shoulders and reached for the leftover chicken.

After trying a bite he agreed with her, "You're right. This is great. I never ordered this from them. I'll have to get it next time. Do you mind if I finish it?" When Scully gave her permission, he quickly finished it, and then reached for the fortune cookies. Scully took hers and broke it open to read the message. "Follow the leading of your heart." Great, even the Chinese were giving her advice now. She didn't say anything; she just ate her cookie in silence.

Meanwhile, Mulder broke open his cookie and ate it immediately. Food was his main concern, not fortunes. After he ate every crumb he picked up the slip of paper to see what wisdom the cookie had for him that day. He almost laughed out loud when he read "Your greatest treasure is truth." Talk about truth! This fortune hit it right on the nose! He laughed out loud and handed the slip to Scully.

"Boy, do they know you!" she said. "I wonder; do they call this the Fox Mulder special?" She was afraid he would want to read her fortune now. She didn't know if she wanted him to see it. When she looked at him she saw he was holding out his hand. Yeah, he wanted to read hers. Without a word she handed it to him, and then waited to see what he would say.

"Wow, Scully. That's pretty deep. What do you suppose that means? Romantic advice from a fortune cookie. Do you suppose it's talking about me?" Mulder had been teasing, but suddenly wished he hadn't said that. The look on Scully's face really made him wish there was some way to take it back. But once it was said there wasn't anything he could do about it. Trying to fix it or cover it up would just make it worse.

That was one thing he learned early with women; if you put your foot in your mouth, leave it there. If you take it out to talk some more you will just get yourself in even more trouble. So he waited to see what she would do next.

Scully froze when he asked if the fortune could be talking about him. Yes, it could be. Like she was going to admit it. Why would he ask that? Unless perhaps he was thinking the same thing? Could it be that Mulder was affected the same way she was by their night together on Friday? That was something to consider. But what was she supposed to say now?

Well, according to Mulder's fortune, his greatest treasure was truth. She knew that even before the stupid cookie said so. So maybe she should give him some of the truth that was so important to him.

"Maybe it is talking about you, Mulder." She spoke so quietly he could hardly hear her. Mulder wanted desperately to look into her eyes, to see what she was really saying to him but she refused to make eye contact, instead focusing her attention on a chip in a fingernail as if that was the most important thing happening right now.

"Scully, Dana, please look at me," he pleaded. He knew that using her given name was a sure way to get her attention.

Scully couldn't resist the pleading in his voice. She raised her eyes to his and let him read what was written there. She wanted him to know the struggle she was facing, all her fears and all her desires. She wanted him to know her heart.

Mulder was overwhelmed by what he read in the depths of her blue eyes. He was drowning in the emotion she shared with him. He was amazed she could communicate so much with one look, that the walls she usually kept up to protect herself were so far removed, he could see into her soul. Mulder felt so honored by the trust she was placing in him. He was honored by what he saw in her eyes. She cared about him. He could see it.

Involuntarily, his hand reached across the table and brushed her cheek, wanting to return the emotion she was sharing with him. He wanted to speak, to verbally respond to what she had told him with her eyes. "Scully, do you really feel this way? Am I reading you right?" He searched her eyes, soaking in the emotion she radiated, and then he saw the fear behind it all. She was afraid? What was she afraid of? Him?

"I'm afraid, Mulder. I'm afraid of what will happen to us if we let 'us' happen to us. We are good partners, good friends. I don't want to lose that. I'm afraid we will wreck what we have. I'm also afraid of what will happen at work if we were to change our relationship. You know they would separate us. I don't want to lose you." Scully wondered if she had been too honest. Did he care? Did he want to deal with this? Maybe she shouldn't have said anything at all. The fear and frustration of the previous night washed over her again.

Unable to restrain himself any longer, Mulder crossed to the other side of the table and, reaching for her hands, drew her up and gathered her in his arms. He had wanted to hold her for so long. Weakness was one thing she refused to share with him, except when she was pushed beyond her limits, like with Tooms.

Scully let herself sink into the strength and warmth that was Fox Mulder. She breathed deeply into his neck, inhaling the scent that was so him, and drew strength from his strength. The crushing weight of fear lifted, almost as if Mulder had drawn it out of her and taken it upon himself. When did she come to depend on him so strongly? She needed him, whether she would admit it or not.

Mulder could feel her relaxing against him, and breathed a prayer of thanks to a God he didn't believe in. He never thought she would let him hold her, unless they had just miraculously survived another brush with death. He held her tighter, afraid she would withdraw and he would never be allowed this close again. She was so strong, so independent. He wanted her to need him, just a little. She gave him so much, daily. He wanted to give something back to her.

Gradually, his grip relaxed and Scully slowly backed away, not completely out of his arms, but enough so that she could see his face. The thunder clouds of emotion she had felt inside herself were mirrored in his face. Could it be he really felt the same way she did? It was such a comfort to know she wasn't alone, that her feelings were reciprocated.

Out of relief, Scully threw her arms around his neck and gave him a squeeze of joy. Mulder's face broke into the most beautiful smile she had ever seen and he hugged her back. Their hearts had made a connection and it felt wonderful.

Eventually they stopped hugging and sat back on the sofa. Mulder pulled Scully into his side, snuggled under his arm. She fit so perfectly there, like the final piece to a puzzle, a completion of the whole. The breathed a united sigh of contentment.

Mulder was the first to break the silence. "So, what do we do now?"

"Mulder, for once I haven't done the 'right' thing. For once I've done what my heart said to do, regardless of the consequences, regardless of the repercussions. I don't want to put any more thought into this situation. I've spent far too much energy being afraid, worrying. Do you know what I really want to do now? I want to go for a motorcycle ride. Do you think you can help me with that?" Scully turned her face up to him, to see how he would respond.

She didn't need to worry. Fox Mulder wasn't a follower of rules, anyway. He grinned down at her and, before she could react, bent down and kissed her. When he pulled back he was still grinning but there was look of deep satisfaction on his face. He'd wanted to do that for a while. It felt good to finally do it.

Scully was surprised to see him zeroing in on her lips. She knew they would kiss at some point, she just hadn't expected it that soon. But, wow, what a kiss. How could a man's lips be so soft? She couldn't do anything but stare up at him. This soft, gentle Fox Mulder was one she'd never seen before. She wondered what else he'd kept hidden from her. Scully suddenly couldn't wait to find out. With a grin of her own she reached up and pulled his head back down and claimed his lips for her own, taking great pleasure in turning the tables, surprising him.

When they separated this time, she couldn't she couldn't help but ask, "Does this mean I can finally call you 'Fox'?"

**Author's Note:** Well, wasn't that interesting? Not too great but not as bad as I'd feared! Let me know if you had the mental fortitude to stick it out for the duration by clicking that "review" button!


End file.
